Inside the Circle – July 22, 2026

Hot weather can be dangerous. Follow the steps below to stay safe and prevent heat-related illness: 

• Drink a lot of water, even if you are not thirsty.
• Wear light clothing and a hat when outside.
• Stay in the shade or in air-conditioned spaces when possible.
• Avoid heavy activity during the hottest part of the day.
• Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle.

Heat-related illness can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness, confusion, and extreme thirst. If you have these symptoms, move to a cool place, drink water, and get medical help if needed. Call 911 if you think you or somebody else has heat stroke. 

For more tips on staying safe in the heat, visit:

• Toronto Heat Safety Resources
• Weather Alerts & Forecasts
• Find Cooling Spaces Near You

Please make sure your personal information (mailing address, phone number, email address) is up to date in Dayforce.

To update your information, log in to the Ceridian Dayforce site. If you have any questions, please contact HRDept@circleofcare.com.

When speaking with clients, use Person-Centred Language (PCL). This means using respectful, clear, and non-judgmental words. Focus on the person first and avoid making assumptions about them. 

Pine Valley Drive Closure

• When: July 3-August 3
• Details: Pine Valley Drive from Rutherford Road to Major Mackenzie Drive West (Vaughan), will be closed.

Beaches International Jazz Festival

• When: July 23-25 (6pm to midnight, each day)
• Details: Queen Street East will be closed between Woodbine Ave and Beech Ave nightly from 6:00 PM to midnight. Connecting side streets leading onto Queen St E in this zone will also be blocked to through-traffic.

Ossfest

• When: June 25
• Details: Ossington Avenue will be closed between Dundas St W and Queen St W from 5:00 AM on Saturday, July 25 until 5:00 AM on Sunday, July 26.

Line 1 Subway Closure

• When: July 25-26
• Details: The subway will be closed between St. Clair and College stations, and shuttle buses will provide service during the closure.

Toronto Chinatown Festival 

• When: July 25-26
• Details: 
  • Road Closures: Spadina Avenue will be closed between St. Andrew Street and Sullivan Street from early Saturday morning through late Sunday night. Side streets connecting to Spadina in this zone will also be restricted to local access only.
  • TTC Impact: The 510 Spadina streetcar replacement will go around the closure area via Bathurst Street or College/Dundas streetcars, causing delays through Chinatown.

Supertri, 10KTO, & Toronto Triathlon

• When: July 26
• Details: Road Closures
  • The Gardiner Expressway (Eastbound Lanes Only): From the Humber River all the way east to the Don Valley Parkway.
  • The Don Valley Parkway (Northbound Lanes Only): From the Gardiner Expressway merge all the way north to Eglinton Avenue East. All northbound on-ramps will be closed.
  • Lake Shore Boulevard West (Eastbound Curb Lane Only): From Budapest Lane to New Brunswick Way/ Remembrance Drive.

Toronto Caribbean Festival

• When: July 30-August 3
• Details: Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed to all vehicular traffic from Fort York Boulevard to Colborne Lodge Drive. Expect extreme traffic along the downtown waterfront and lots of passengers on TTC Line 1/Line 2 and GO Transit (Exhibition Station).

VELD Music Festival 

• When: July 31-August 2
• Details: Lots of traffic and heavy foot traffic along Keele St, Sheppard Ave W, and Carl Hall Rd. Expect heavy crowding at Downsview Park TTC & GO Stations.

You play an important role in keeping yourself and your clients safe. Slips, trips, and falls can lead to serious injuries, but many can be prevented. Review the safety guides below to learn simple ways to reduce risks and help create a safer environment for everyone.

Bathroom Safety – Bathrooms are one of the most common places for slips and falls. Learn how to use safety equipment and keep the space safe for you and your clients.

Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls – Keeping walkways clear and cleaning up spills, can help prevent injuries for both you and your clients. Learn how to prevent slips, trips, and falls.

Preventing Client Falls/If A Client Falls – Review how to prevent falls and what to do if a client falls. Learn the steps to take, who to notify, and when to call 911.

Safe Transfers and Body Mechanics – Use proper body mechanics and transfer techniques. Learn safe transfer techniques.

The CNE will happen from August 21 – September 7, and if you’re planning a visit this summer, you can save up to 41% on tickets through our discount program.

Discount Prices:

• Admission Pass: $22
• Ride All Day Pass: $50

Get special summer discounts with Perkopolis. Save on attractions, travel, entertainment, and more.

Special Offers: 

• The Jury Experience
• The Jazz Room
• Ballet of Lights
• 10% off Manulife Travel Insurance

Need help signing up for Perkopolis?

1. Go to perkopolis.com
2. Enter your work email address or personal email address.
3. Look for an email from Perkopolis with a link to complete your registration. If you used a personal email address, you will need your member ID code (CC + your employee ID); e.g. CC12345

Celebrate Caribbean culture, music, food, and traditions at Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival, one of the city’s largest summer events.

The Carnival runs from July 30 to August 3, 2026. The Grand Parade takes place on Saturday, August 1. Come and enjoy music, food, and family-friendly entertainment.

Each week, we’re proud to recognize the PSWs who are celebrating their work anniversaries. Every anniversary—no matter the number of years—represents the dedication, compassion, and commitment you bring to supporting our clients and community. Thank you for the important role you play at Circle of Care. This week’s list includes PSWs celebrating work anniversaries between July 19-25.

Congratulations to the following PSWs on their years of service with Circle of Care:

July 19

• 5 Years (MILESTONE!): Marites Ventura!

July 24

• 29 Years: Vima Rosete

July 25

• 21 Years: Paula Campbell

Individuals celebrating milestone anniversaries (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years) will receive a one-time cash award to their pay cheque at the end of the quarter. Payment amount will depend on service length.

A High Five for PSW Leonisa Vallecera

Leonisa is an exceptionally hard worker who is always attentive to my grandfather’s needs. She goes above and beyond to help him with whatever he needs, and she never makes him feel rushed. She takes the time to listen to him talk about the news, current events, and whatever is on his mind, making him feel heard, valued, and respected.

One of the things that stands out the most is how comfortable and happy she makes him feel. I can hear the excitement in his voice when she arrives, and it’s clear that he genuinely looks forward to her visits. Knowing that someone cares for him with such kindness and patience brings our family tremendous peace of mind. – Client’s Grandchild

High Five for PSW Denielle Cleofe Valdez

I’m very happy with Denielle’s housekeeping services and always look forward to her visits. – Client

High Five for PSW Paula Smith

Paula is cheerful, supportive, and professional. She always lifts my spirits and takes great pride in her work. – Client

High Five for PSW Lenora Ellington

I’m so pleased with Lenora’s care and would love to have her scheduled more often. – Client

High Five for PSW Lilia Enduring

Lilia has cared for both of us over the years. She’s friendly, helpful, and truly a ray of sunshine. – Client

High Five for PSW Santoshi BK

Santoshi is compassionate and respectful. My mom looks forward to every visit and loves going for walks with her. She always wishes the visits could last longer. – Client’s Daughter

Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!

The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.

To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.

Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.

I know you pay money to people who have been working for Circle of Care for 5 or 10 years. I have been working for 8.5 years. Why did you not pay me anything?

Around the time of your 5th anniversary with Circle of Care, we were using a platform called Applause to provide monetary milestone gifts to employees. Your 5-year service award would have been issued through that platform.

In 2024, Circle of Care discontinued Applause after receiving feedback from employees, including many PSWs, that they preferred a different method of receiving milestone gifts. Before the platform was closed, employees were given several reminders to redeem their available funds, and our HR team also contacted individuals who still had unredeemed balances.

Unfortunately, any funds that were not redeemed before the platform was deactivated were forfeited when the program ended. Since then, we have moved milestone recognition payments directly to Payroll. Employees now receive a one-time payment on their paycheque when they reach a service milestone. As you are currently celebrating 8.5 years with Circle of Care, your next milestone will be your 10-year anniversary. You can expect to receive your milestone recognition payment through Payroll during the quarter in which your 10-year anniversary occurs.

A few months ago, you told us that we could open TFSA/ RRSP matching contributions, but when I went to RBC, they said you aren’t offering a TFSA this year, only RRSP. I contacted the Payroll department; they have the investment account. Why can’t we open a TFSA matching contribution? Hopefully, by next year we will have an option to choose which account we want to open and invest in.

Thank you for your question. If you are already receiving a matching contribution to an RRSP account, our Payroll team is unable to transfer the match over to a TFSA account due to limitations with our payment software. However, you can have your part of the contribution deposited into your TFSA account if you would like. You would need to contact Payroll to arrange this.

Please change the DJ for Circle of Care’s party. The music was not good.

Thank you for your feedback; we have passed along your message to our social committee for next year.

Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!

Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.